Youngsters give skate park a colourful makeover

Youngsters drawing the outline of the new designs at Long Grove skate park in Epsom

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YOUNG people from Epsom grabbed their paintbrushes and gave a colourful makeover to a skate park in the town.

The Long Grove skate ramps, which have been plagued by graffiti for more than three years, were given a welcome facelift by a team of youngsters led by Epsom and Ewell Borough Council staff.

Following a session on July 29 which saw the ramps painted completely white, the group got to work creating colourful patterns, murals and designs in an effort to brighten up the park.

The council’s youth diversion co-ordinator Sam Holt, who led the project, said the scheme encouraged creativity and gave youngsters a chance to improve their surroundings.

“It will give people more of a sense of pride,” she said.

"Before the park really did look ugly, young people were saying that they felt intimidated, that they felt it [the graffiti] made it look dirty and unsafe.

“We’re hoping that the area will be improved, that people will use it more and that if it looks nice it will encourage people to keep it nice.”

Ashly Keane, a student at Epsom’s University for the Creative Arts (UCA), was at the park on Wednesday to lend a hand and pass on some artistic tips.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to get involved and make their facilities a place that they can feel proud of,” he said.

"It’s also great to be able to make them aware of what the UCA does and show them how they could be involved in similar projects in the future.’

Riley Roberts, 13, who helped design a mural to be painted on the central ramp of the skate park, said: “I come here a lot, once every day or two days. Before there was loads of graffiti all over the ramps.

“We were here and they told us they were painting it so we drew a design that says ‘Longmead’ and we’re painting it on the side of the box to make it attractive to people.”

Councillor Clive Woodbridge, chairman of the council’s leisure committee, said: “The Long Grove Park skate ramps are well used by young people in the borough and it is fitting they should have a say as to how they should look.

“This is a great opportunity for them to get involved in improving a site they use, mix with others from different backgrounds and learn new skills.”